Wire clip for papers



Oct. 6, 1936.

w. H. SMITH WIRE CLIP FOR PAPERS Filed April 2, 1955 Z g TQR BY I g IATTORNEY Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNiTED sures rAreNr orries WIRE our FQRPAPERS William H. Smith, Rochester, N. Y. Application April 2, 1935,Serial No. 14,293

7 Claims. (c1; 24 261) The object of this invention is to provide a newand improved form of paper clip or a clip that is adapted to holdseveral sheets of paper together.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clip that will engagethe papers in a way that will protect the clip itself from beingdisturbed in its position in engagement with the papers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clip that is easilyengaged and disengaged with the paper, and can be used to hold togethera large number of papers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clip having two freeends of unequal length.

Another object is to provide a cliphaving points, the ends of which canbe embedded inor under the outer sheets of paper.

These and other objects of the invention will be illustrated in thedrawing, described in the specification and pointed out in the claims atthe end thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my clip shown in engagement with anumber of sheets of paper.

Figure 2 is a vertical section on. the line 2x2x of Figure 1. f

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the clip and paper shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 shows a plan view of a modified form of the clip. i j

Figures 5, 6 and 7 show clips in which the free ends of the clips areinturned toward each other so that they can penetrate one. or moresheets of paper..

Figure 8 shows another modified form of the clip in which the free endsof the clip are pin pointed and the intermediate portionis ringshaped.

Figures 9, 10 and 11 show further modifications of the clip.

In Figure 12 I have shown one of the clips of Figures 5, 6 and 7 withthe. points thereof embedded under the outer sheets of paper.

In the drawing like reference numerals indicate like parts.

The clip-s shown in the several figures of the drawing are preferablymade of a single piece of wire.

In the clip shown in Figure 1, the wire is bent on itself at a pointnearly intermediate its length to form a rounded tongue or yoke l withparallel sides 2 and 3 and 4 and 5. These parallel sides are connectedby diverging sides 6 and 1. At the opposite end of the clip the wire isbent to form the radial arms 8 and 9, which extend toward each other,and on the ends of which are bent the inturned points It] and H, whichpoints are of unequal length and extend substantially parallel "to eachother.

It is also understood that all the elements of this clip normally liesubstantially in the same plane. Whenthis clip is used to hold. a numberof sheets of papertogether, the tongue I is first inserted between thesheets of paper and the clip is pushed down until the long .point II isalmost in engagement with the paper, and then this point is sprungoutto. one side of the papers and the clip is pushed into furtherengagement until the short point H) is in engagement with the papers,and this point is swung out to engage the 15 opposite side of the bunchof papers, after which the clip is pushed into the position shown inFigures 2 and 3, in which case the arms 8 and 9 will assume the diagonalposition shown in Figure 3.

These arms are of sufficient length that they permit the clip to springto a considerable angle without exceeding the elastic limit of the wire,

so that when the clip is withdrawn the parts will all resume theiroriginal positionin substantially the same plane. This is true of all ofthe other clips shown in the various figures in which the radial arms atthe top of the clip are made of considerable length so that they can besprung away from each other to a considerable angle, and can be used toengage a large number of sheets of paper.

As shown in Figure 2, the ends of thepoints I0 and l I are beveled asindicated at [2 and I3. These beveled points will naturally ride closeto the paper and conform thereto, so that another sheet of paper. cannotbe accidentally slipped in under either of these points.

In Figure 4 I have shown a clip having a tongue IS with sides I6 and Hdiverging at a small angle and the sides l8 and I9 diverging at a largerangle. To these sides are connected the radial arms 20 and 2!, each ofwhich has the long point 22 and the short point 23 formed on the endthereof. These points may be left blunt, if so desired.

In Figure 5 I have shown a similar clip having a tongue 25 with thediverging sides 26, 2'! connected thereto diverging at a small angle,and the sides 28 and 29 diverging at a, larger angle, and the parallelsides 30 and 3!. To these are connected the radial arms 32 and 33 withthe points 34' and 35 thereon. At the end of each of these points thewire is rounded with a curve of rather long radius with the ends of thepoints pointing towards each other. These points 34 and 35 arepreferably pin-pointed.

In Figure 6 I have shown a tongue having the sides 4| and 42 divergingat a small angle and the sides 43 and 44 diverging at a bigger angle, onwhich are the radial arms 45 and 46 from which extend downwardly thepoints 41 and 48, the ends of which points are curved toward each otherand are left blunt.

In Figure '7: the clip is formed with a tongue 50 with the sides 5| and52 diverging at a small angle and the sides 53 and 54 diverging at alarger angle. To these are connected the parallel sides 55 and 56, onwhich are formed. the radial.

arms 51 and 58, from the ends of which extend downwardly the points 59and B0. The: ends: of these points are curved, as shown in Figure 7. Inthis figure the radial arms 51 and 58 are ex"- tended sufiiciently sothat the points 59 and 60' overlap each other, one of them lying to theright of the planeof' the clip and the other lying to-the left of theplane of the clip.

Theinturned'points'shown in'Figures 5;. 6 and? serve to embed theextreme-ends of the points in the'paper to that extent that other sheetsofpaper will ride' over them and will not become engaged with them.

In Figure 8 I have shown a clip formed with a tongue 6 I that isring-shaped, from which extend the parallel sides 62 and 63' on whichare the diverging sides 64 and 65". On these are provided the parallelsides 66' and 61,. to which are connected theradial arms. 68 and 69';On'these arms are provided the points 10 and 'H which extend inwardlyparallel to each other and are shown pin-pointed.

In Figure 9 I have shown a clip with a; tongue 12' having the sides 13.and I4 diverging at: a small angle and the sides 15 and T6 diverging ata larger. angle, on. which are the radial arms. 17 and 18 extendingtoward each otherion which are provided the downwardly projecting pointsHand 80.

In Figure 10' Ihave shown aclip havinga wide halt-round tongue. 8|, withthe parallelsides 82 and 83, on which are, the radial arms 84 and 85, onwhich in. turn are provided. the downturned points 86' and 8-1.

In Figure 11' I have shown a cliphaving a ringshaped. contour 90', theopen ends of which are provided with the down-turned points 9i. and 92.

In all, of. these cases the inturned or downturned points. are madeof'unequallength, so that the clip may be inserted-first with. thetongue in engagement between the papers. Then the long point isengagedon one side ofthe papers-and the short point is engaged on the otherside of. the papers. In this way the three parts of the clip, namely,the tongue and. the two points, are en.- gaged successively, step bystep, until they are properly engaged with the bunch of papers, afterwhich the clip is pressed into its final position shown in Figures 1, 2-and 3.

It is obvious, too, that any of these points, other than the bluntpoints, instead" of being left on the outside of the bunch of papers-asshown in Figure 2, may be thrust through one or more of the outer:sheets of paper before the clip is pushed to' its-final: position, andthen when the clip is pushed to its final position the-points will be.concealed under the" outer sheets of.= paper so that. by no possibilitycan other sheets ofpaper become engaged. with these points. In. this:case the points: can-Abe engaged sothata quarter of an inch or more ofthe end of the point will be concealed below the outer sheets of paper,as is shown in Figure 12.

I claim:

1. A paper clip made of a piece of wire bent to form a tongue at one endand a base at the other end, the ends of the wire being bent inwardlyfrom the base toward the tongue at a. point substantially at the centerof said base and lying substantially parallel to each other, theinturned ends being of. unequal length and terminating shortof the-tipof the tongue.

2. A paper clip made of a piece of wire bent to. form a tongue at oneend and a base at the other end,. the ends of the wire being bentinwardly from the base toward the tongue at a point. substantially atthe center of said base and lying substantially parallel to each other,the inturned ends being of unequal length and terminat-ingshort of thetip of the tongue, the tips of the ends being bent somewhat transverselyto the" plane of the clip and opposite to each other.

3. A paper clipmade of a piece of wire bent to form a" tongue at one endand a base at the other end, the ends of the wire being bent inwardlyfrom the base toward the tongue at a point substantially at the centerof said base and lying substantially parallel to each other, theinturned ends being of unequal length and terminating short of the tip"of the tongue, the ends of the wire being pointed and being adapted topenetrate" the paper.

4. A paper clip made of a piece of wire bent to form atongue at one endand a base at the other end, the free ends of the wire being bentinward- 1y from substantially the center of the base toward the tongue,and stopping short of the inner end of the tongue by a substantialdistance, and lying'substantially parallel to each other, the freeinturned ends of the wire being of unequal length;

5. A paper clip made of a piece of wire bent to form a tongue at one endand a base at the other end',.the free ends of the wire being bentinwardly from substantially the center of the base toward the tongue,and stopping short of the in ner end of the tongue by a substantialdistance, and lying substantially parallel to each other, thefreeinturned ends of the wire being of unequal length, one of said endsbeing capable of being sprung transversely to the plane of the clip inone direction. and the other end being capable of being sprungtransversely to the plane of the clip in the other direction.

6. A paper clip made of a piece of wire bent substantially at itsmidpoint to form a U shaped configuration and having the free endportions bent to form a pair of smaller inverted U shapedconfigurations, the ends of the wire extending generally straight andparallel and substantially at the. center line of said. first named Uand short. of the loop thereof, and one of said ends being longer than.the other.

'Z.v A paper clip made of a piece of wire bent double to form a tongueand having the free end portions bent towards one another and thenceinwardsubstantially along the axisof the tongue, the ends terminatingshort of the loop of the tongue and being of. unequal length, whereby inengaging. the clip with a plurality of leaves of paper,.the tongue mayfirst be inserted between the. leaves of paper, the larger free end thenpassed over one. side of the. leaves and the shorter free end thereafterpassed over the other side of the leaves. 1

WILLIAM H. SMITH.

